Maryland Gay Marriage Opponents Take First Steps To Bring Legislation To Voter Referendum

MD Governor Martin O'Malley

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Same-sex marriage opponents have taken the first steps to bring legislation legalizing gay marriage in Maryland to a voter referendum.

Delegate Neil Parrott said he filed draft language for a referendum petition with the state board of elections Friday.

It comes a day after the Senate joined the House in approving a bill to allow same-sex marriages. Gov. Martin O'Malley endorses the measure and plans to sign it next week.

The board has a week to consider the submission and if it is approved, Parrott and others will begin collecting the nearly 56,000 signatures needed to bring the measure to the November ballot.

Gay marriage advocates said they will fight to make sure the law is upheld and that they think it is inappropriate to leave the issue to the discretion of voters.

Comments

[AJEUCARE]

02:12 PM on 03/04/2012

Gov O'Malley cites freedom of religion as one of the basis for signing legislation approving gay marriage in Maryland. He further cited religion as one of the foundations for establishment of the Maryland colony. All the Christian religions to my knowledge cited marriage is between a man and a women. Further, the Maryland history I learned in public school clearly taught that Maryland was established as a Catholic colony. Maryland history further states that St. Mary in southern Maryland was the capital of Maryland until a new King took the English throne and made Providencetown, now Annapolis, the capitol.

[JustMeAgain692]

03:24 PM on 03/01/2012

Who am I to judge who marries who and who am i to question their orientation, religious, or political make up. While i'm personally not for this type of "marriage," due to my religious beliefs, and while i'd prefer it to be classified as a "union," I will not "choose" what others can do as I also believe that only GOD can pass judgment and he will have the final say in this matter. Bickering back and forth will solve nothing -- the only thing it will do is create hostility.

[alicetilden]

12:43 PM on 02/27/2012

I am a Marylander. The real problem with a referendum is that it will increase amount of Republicans voting in the Presidential election. Maryland nearly always picks the Democrat, but this could change that. I worked the polls when there was a gun law on the ballot and it was a madhouse. Droves of people came in all day long saying they were there to protect their guns. I think if same sex marriage is on the ballot it will be just as bad. I hope those opposed do not get enough signatures to put this on the ballot. They won't get mine.

[Opposition Research]

04:15 PM on 02/27/2012

I dunno. The GOP base *ALWAYS* turns out a full-bore 100.0% at the polls. They can't drive any harder.

I predict that it will have the reverse effect.

Hope I'm right, and hope you're wrong.

[alicetilden]

07:32 PM on 02/27/2012

Since Maryland almost always votes Democratic in the Presidential election, the Republicans have no incentive to vote except in the local races. They usually only come out full-bore when they have a reason and gay marriage just might get them out to the polls. I would be really surprised if Obama doesn't win the state easily, but gay marriage may be in trouble if there is a referendum. Hopefully, that will not hurt the President. Just call me a Nervous Nelly.

[detroitblkmale30]

11:47 AM on 02/27/2012

Good the people will decide. As they should.

[ruthtruth]

02:11 PM on 02/27/2012

So you are saying that those in your state government aren't good people?

[detroitblkmale30]

03:51 PM on 02/27/2012

I think you should re-read my comment. "Good the people.." not good people.

[Opposition Research]

04:17 PM on 02/27/2012

No....

As they *SHOULDN'T*.

"The people" have no moral standing whatsoever to hold referenda on other people's life commitments.

[Opposition Research]

04:19 PM on 02/27/2012

Replied to wrong comment....

Not true... As they *SHOULDN'T*.

"The people" have *ZERO* ethical standing to hold public referenda on other people's life commitments. What a combination of *GALL* and indignity, for "the people" the think that gay people need permission by "the people" to form intimate commitments.

[detroitblkmale30]

06:44 PM on 02/27/2012

They should actually according to the law of the state. Not gall, just public policy. its not about gay people "needing permission" Its about the people of the state having direct say in legislation passed in the state.

[TeraWatt60]

10:49 AM on 02/27/2012

Civil Rights are guaranteed to all people in this country and the notion of putting them up to a "tyranny of the majority" vote is simply absurd. Those who are pushing for a "popular vote" on marriage equality make as much sense as those who claim Mississippi would have ended Jim Crow by ballot initiative....

[ballancedintellectual]

11:56 AM on 02/27/2012

No. Not the same thing. Jim Crow Mississippi and the deep south were a context in which the overwhelming majority of residents opposed integration. MD where I actually live, has a majority of supporters FOR this same sex marriage. We should be allowed to decide how we how the issue goes. Besides it wouldn't have mattered in MS if it was legislative action as the legislature of the time was elected by the same residents who didn't support integration and would have voted accordingly.

[TeraWatt60]

02:16 PM on 02/27/2012

No! Plebiscites on any minorities rights are absurd, that is the whole point of "rights" in the first place, the rights of ALL in the Constitution were designed to prevent "tyranny of the majority" where popular votes could impose their will on the minority.

What we have now is the equivalent , despite the guarantee of equal protection of the laws under the 14th amendment, a patchwork exists where a gay married couple driving on I-95 is considered married in Massachusetts, but not in RI, married again in Connecticut and New York , not married in NJ, PA, and DE but married again in DC and MD....this is just simply wrong. Do not even think about invoking "States Rights" either because the SCOTUS already struck down interracial marriage laws for the same reason.  DOMA is a joke and is on the ropes as well...

[dbrett480]

08:03 PM on 02/26/2012

Did George Takai travel back in time to get married to Brad in Maryland?

[rcharlie]

12:15 PM on 02/26/2012

What supporters of same-sex marriage legislation are really saying is that THEY want to decide who qualifies for marriage. And though LGBT community has historically suffered from social stigmas, stereotypes, name-calling and abuse they use the same tactics to force their views on others, calling it discrimination when anyone sees things differently, and sounding the same old and tired battle cries of "religious fanaticism" and "hate-mongering.”
Just to put things into perspective, the LGBT community is only calling for same-sex marriage of any two consenting adults, leaving out entire communities. What about Muslims' "right" to polygamy, consenting bisexuals' "right" to trinogamy, or a small segment of the population's claim on their preference for consensual sexual relations with young people. Why not support equality for the entire population and for ALL sexual orientations? Is there something different, wrong, inferior or destructive about those other groups?
If this is truly about equality then Gov. O'Malley and the legislators must clear the way for these other lifestyles so they can live without being shunned for who they are. Why stop at same-sex marriage and not ensure marriage rights to all, regardless of sexual orientation, age, or number of people?
The debate is not over marriage equality, civil rights, or loving relationships. It is about who gets to decide what is appropriate: the courts, the legislators, or the entire community. We either decide as a community or we open it up to all.

[RockyMissouri]

01:37 PM on 02/26/2012

You are absurd.

[PrairieGayCompanion]

02:50 PM on 02/26/2012

What a completely stupid comment.

[CheapTrick]

12:35 PM on 02/26/2012

I don't care what your "belief" is. At all.

It's none of my business.

But when you start to force me to live in a way YOU approve of... yeah... no. Not going to happen. I don't tell you how to pray or tell you that the Christian Lifestyle is wrought with hate and abuse and anger. I just let you figure that out for yourself.

One day you'll realize how wrong you are.

Oh well.

[A Truth]

05:49 PM on 03/05/2012

I apologize. I thought this was a community where mine's as well as your thoughts and ideas on any subject matter could be discussed freely wether we agree or disagree on that subject....

[RockyMissouri]

01:40 PM on 02/26/2012

Same sex marriage will NOT harm YOU, or me, or anyone....

[Vintage59]

02:23 PM on 02/25/2012

It's a huge stretch but if you consider that Maryland already has a tight budget all the money spent by the state to hold a referendum will force a slight decrease in the size of government.

Then all you have to do is ignore the 800 pound gorilla and you can argue that the people who are trying to overturn this law believe that we should have a smaller government that is less intrusive into peoples private lives.

[keblev]

01:16 PM on 02/25/2012

Shame on Fox45 Baltimore for having a link on their homepage for the petitioning efforts. You'd think local news wouldn't so blatantly pick sides, especially on a civil rights battle.

[Ioan Lightoller]

01:10 AM on 02/26/2012

So much for "fair and balanced", eh?

[alicetilden]

12:31 PM on 02/27/2012

I don't watch Fox 45 anymore. All they do is spout what Faux News is saying. I am not surprised about the petition link.

[Samuel Nnadi]

10:05 AM on 02/25/2012

Thank you Neil Parrott. You are a true Delegate. We cannot allow a few to decide for Marylanders. Send the petition, I'm ready to sign right now.

[KurtMichaelFriese]

11:20 AM on 02/25/2012

Seriously? "Allow(ing) a few to decide for Marylanders" is precisely what you elected delegates FOR. A referendum is clearly the wrong way to go, because you don't get to vote on rights, that's why they call them RIGHTS. Imagine for a moment how it would have turned out if each southern state held a referendum on the Voting Rights Act.

No one is asking you to approve of equal marriage. No one is even asking you to like it! If you're not gay, it doesn't effect you one iota. Not at all. Why would you oppose allowing other people to marry the people they love?

[Vintage59]

02:24 PM on 02/25/2012

Sam's going to support the slavery referendum, too.

[ruthtruth]

02:16 PM on 02/27/2012

Thank you for pointing that out to the narrow minded. F&F

[LongBeachHawkeye]

11:48 AM on 02/25/2012

What's it like to be on the wrong side of history, Samuel?

[AAKAlan]

09:16 AM on 02/25/2012

Just think of the tens of millions of dollars spent in California, Maine and soon, Maine again and Minnesota, because of a handful of well-funded right-wing religious fanatics who are determined to prevent LGBT Americans from gaining equal rights - no matter what!

The total is probably already around $100 million, and growing every day. You can thank that whack job Maggie Gallagher, whose own marriage is so rocky that she has spent the last ten years or so swearing that if any Gay gets married, her marriage will fall apart!

Backed by the Catholic and Mormon churches, her shady organization, NOM, spends obscene amounts of money to spew their hate and forces equal expenditures on the people trying to protect their Constitutional rights.

There is a special circle of hell awaiting these hate-mongers.

[FlamingLibrul]

01:48 PM on 02/25/2012

I hope the hate-mongers in question face a measure of justice here on earth. This would include progress marching on, regardless of their campaigns of regression and ignorance.

[FlamingLibrul]

01:52 PM on 02/25/2012

More fiscal conservatism. Yawn.

[rockysparks]

08:52 AM on 02/25/2012

Time to vote out Neil Parrott.

[ballancedintellectual]

12:08 PM on 02/27/2012

Because he has no right to take a position you disagree with. Got it.

[1amwoman]

08:06 AM on 02/25/2012

All I can say is all of you that support Equal Rights for Marriage contact Delegate Neil Parrott with your comments He is the one starting this pettition.

[LaoLan]

07:07 AM on 02/25/2012

Marriage is a human right, not to be voted on. Now let's get rid of DOMA - an unfair law! These types of unfair laws hurt families, but only those who suffer really understand...